Writer’s blog about motherhood, fitness receives national nod

The blog Mother & Fitness (motherandfitness.com) by Deelle Hines has been rated the number one fitness blog by Top Mommy Blogs, and is nominated for two Ninjamatics Canadian Weblog Awards. AMY MACKENZIE – THE NEWS

STELLARTON – After Deelle Hines puts her 16-month-old son Tyson down for his afternoon nap she opens her laptop and connects her thoughts about motherhood, health and fitness to thousands of moms through her blog.

The Stellarton woman started the blog Mother & Fitness (motherandfitness.com) because she loves going on the Internet for advice about motherhood, and thought she had something to offer to other moms in the blogosphere as well.

“After I had a baby for the first time, I gained a lot of weight and I was faced with having to lose weight,” she said adding that she had gained about 60 pounds during pregnancy. She said she was following other blogs when she decided to start her own about her experiences of being a new mother and trying to lose the pregnancy weight.

Seven months after Hines wrote her first blog post, her blog is now rated the number one health and fitness blog on Top Mommy Blogs, an online directory of more than 4,500 blogs mothers can relate to. The blog is also nominated for two 2013 Ninjamatics Canadian Weblog Awards in the Health and Wellness and Family and Parenting categories.

“The Top Mommy Blog directory is based on votes really, so the fact that I got voted to the top of the category feels pretty neat,” she said. “I seem to have picked a topic that people are interested in.”

The blog covers everything from healthy recipes, fitness tips, and issues that mothers can relate to. Hines also said it has expanded from its original purpose, to post tips about losing weight gained during pregnancy and finding time to be healthy as a busy mom.

“Now it’s more tuned to showcasing different women so I have different sections, like an interview section, recipes, health and fitness and I’ll contact different women who can contribute in those areas,” she said. “It ends up showcasing them and their healthy recipe or them and their weight loss story and that’s what it has morphed into now.”

She has posted personal tips for healthy eating and exercising, such as her workout schedule.

“I am a morning person so I really dislike going to the gym at night but it is the only time I can go so I suck it up. I am so tired when I get there but at least I am there,” the blog post says. “Also, the one thing I make sure I do every day is some form of cardio. On the nice days I take the boys out (she also looks after her three-year-old nephew four days a week) for a walk in the double stroller. On the not so nice days I hop on my exercise bike while the boys play on the floor or during their nap.”

Her blog is full of tips like these for mothers looking to lead a healthy and fit lifestyle. Hines said at first she was hesitant about posting personal details, such as the before and after pictures of her when she lost the 60 pounds gained during pregnancy. “That took a lot of guts,” she said, laughing.

But she said it was worth it if it inspired someone to be confident like her. She said it’s a great feeling when one of her followers leaves a comment that her blog has inspired her to become healthier.

“That kind of adds fuel to the fire. You hear such good things about it that you want to keep it going,” she said. “It serves its purpose right there because that’s what you set out to do. So when you hear that (you inspired someone), that’s exactly what the purpose is. So it’s great.”

The blog Mother & Fitness (motherandfitness.com) by Deelle Hines has been rated the number one fitness blog by Top Mommy Blogs, and is nominated for two Ninjamatics Canadian Weblog Awards. AMY MACKENZIE – THE NEWS